Not With A Ring
by TalysAlankil
Summary: When Vanitas goes on a date with Ventus, he's not prepared for the special occasion Ven has planned for. For Vanven week with the prompt "Promise"


"Today's our ninety-first date," Ventus said.

Vanitas tore his gaze from the lanterns in the sky to gaze at him questioningly across their little rowboat. "You've been keeping track?"

"Yeah." Ven smiled at that, as if it was the most natural thing. "Gotta memorize each and every one. I promised myself, when we found you again."

Vanitas frowned. "You promised yourself? Why?"

"Because I've lost enough memories as it is. Memories of you, one way or the other." Ven looked at him expectantly, but Vanitas still didn't know what he was getting at. "You know, a lot of the time I've forgotten about is from when we were one."

"Are you saying you'd want to go back to that?" It was hard for Vanitas not to let the hurt seep into his voice, and judging by the pained look Ven returned him, he doubted he'd succeeded.

"No, that's not it. I just—I don't want to lose any more of the time we share."

"If you say so." Vanitas looked back up at the sky, at the light of the lanterns floating up, up and away. "I don't think I could ever forget something like this, though."

"Good. I mean, I hope so."

There was an edge in his voice that drew Vanitas's attention back to him once more. He was fidgeting with something, though it was hard to make out in the dark. "Hey, what's—"

"Vanitas," Ven said. "For the longest part, after we were cleaved in two, I know you hated me. I had the light you craved, and Sora had given me the darkness I needed." He shook his head, in that way Vanitas now knew meant he was trying to push down an outburst of emotions. "I hated you too, for a moment, I think. You hurt my friends. But I never considered the pain you were in."

"Ventus—we're past that now."

Ven nodded profusely. "I know. Just—hear me out, okay? I'm forgetting my lines." He raised his hand, and Vanitas finally saw the glinting object in his fingers. "Terra said I should do it with a ring, and I had the Moogles make one, but—"

Vanitas's breath quickened in his chest in a rush of panic. Was Ventus going to—

But then, Ventus wound his arm back and threw the ring overboard, as fast as he could. Vanitas heard the soft, distant splash when it hit the water. "I don't need it," Ventus said. "And I don't think you want it."

Vanitas's eyes were locked on the water, his breath still out of control. "I—" he tried to say, but it was barely audible. Only when Ventus took his hand did Vanitas manage to move again.

"After we found you, after you didn't have Xehanort twisting your whole world, your mind—you found your light. Same as I found my own darkness. But at the same time—I was really happy when you agreed to go on a date with me."

"I kind of figured." Vanitas couldn't help an amused frown. "You haven't been subtle about it."

Ven laughed at the teasing. "I guess not. But it's true, and it's worth saying. We may not literally complete each other anymore, but—I think we still _complement_ each other pretty nicely, don't you think?"

Vanitas blinked, going still once more. "Go on," he simply said, breathless.

"I thought about proposing, you know." Ven nodded at the water. "I realized this wasn't what you needed, though. I don't even know if it's what _I_ need. Maybe I was just doing it because it's expected."

The grasp Ven had on his hand was weakening, and Vanitas finally summoned the energy to squeeze his hand back. "Ventus. If you want to propose to me—" He breathed deeply. "I don't want to lose you. Not over this."

"I know. But that's my point. You don't have to, and I shouldn't make you face that anyway." He tilted his head. "So this is a non-proposal. Instead, I just want to make you a promise."

"A promise?"

Ven nodded. "I promise that, no matter what, I'll always be there for you. I'll help you be whole, even when you don't feel whole. When you're in one of your darkest days, I'll be there to show you the way back to the light that you fought so hard to claim for yourself."

Emotion gripped at Vanitas's throat, and his control slipped for a moment. Tearing itself from his back, an Unversed took shape, a tiny Flood that dashed across the rowboat, as jittery and nervous as Vanitas felt.

Ven held out his hand, and the Flood, after eyeing it suspiciously for a second, nuzzled against it. Smiling, Ven looked up at Vanitas again. "And when your emotions get the better of you, I promise I'll be there to remind you they're nothing to be ashamed of." Picking the Flood up, Ven stood up from his seat, carefully moving across the rowboat until he knelt in front of Vanitas. He leaned forward, placing a tender kiss on Vanitas's lips. "After all, I'd like to think _some_ of these emotions are for me, and I don't want you to get rid of them."

A nervous chuckle escaped Vanitas, even as the Flood nuzzled into Ven's neck, then hopped onto Vanitas's shoulders. "Ven," he said, his voice breaking. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't really have to say anything. I'm not proposing to you, remember? I'm only making a promise."

Gazing into Ven's eyes, Vanitas saw the earnestness in his words. "Right," he said. There _was_ nothing to be afraid of. Not when Ven looked at him like that.

Warmth flooded across Vanitas's chest, startling him. Even now, the feeling of his Unversed melting back into him willingly, instead of making Vanitas retrieve his own feelings by force, felt foreign. Strange. And yet, it was nice, too.

"See?" Ven said. "It's okay."

When Vanitas pulled him closer for another kiss, Ven let him, melting against Vanitas's lips and into his hands. "Thank you," Vanitas said. "And—I promise—"

"You really _don't_ have to do anything in return."

"I know," Vanitas said. "I'm only going to say—I promise that I'll trust you to keep your word. And that I'll let you. Be those things for me. As long as you'll want to."

Ven smiled, and pressed his forehead against Vanitas's, letting their breaths mingle for a moment. "That's all I want."


End file.
